The transition from winter to spring is a welcome change that brings a sense of freshness to our lives. The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and as flowers bloom and trees bud, more color is coming back into the world.

As medical professionals, we all know there are wonderful health benefits to being outdoors and in nature. Getting some sunshine and spending time in the trees can lead to improved mental health and physical wellbeing. So get out and smell the flowers!

I see some of you have already formed teams for the Well-U challenge, Coast to Coast. It's a great way to encourage activity and foster friendships with your fellow DOM members. Also in the spirit of team building and wellness challenges, Wilmot Cancer Institute opened registration for the first-ever Wilmot Warrior Weekend which takes place later this fall. It would be amazing to see some DOM teams formed for this incredible event! I encourage you to connect with each other and create or join a team!

Happy Spring!

Be well,
Ruth O'Regan, M.D.

Honors: Martin Zand, MD, PhD, from Nephrology, was elected to the board of directors for the Association for Clinical and Translational Science.

Awards: Dimitry Migdalovich, MD, was named Highland Hospital Physician of the Year. The award will be recognized during a reception in May and at a Highland Board of Directors meeting.

Publication: Clive Zent, MD, is a co-author of "Impact of sex on outcomes in patients with hairy cell leukemia. An HCL patient data registry analysis," published in the American Journal of Hematology.

Publication: Angela Branche, MD, and Ann Falsey, MD, both from Infectious Diseases, are lead and co-authors respectively of "Immunogenicity of the BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5 SARS-CoV-2 Bivalent Boosts: Preliminary Results from the COVAIL Randomized Clinical Trial," published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The study suggests we may need to continually update COVID boosters to protect against emerging variants.

DEI: Laura Stamm, PhD, director of DEI for the DOM, received a grant from the Humanities Center for her project "Making Public History: Oral Histories of COVID-19 and Rochester's Black Communities."

In the News: Bethany Marston, MD, from Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology, shared routine tasks that can take time away from more fulfilling aspects of medicine in "Tips to Alleviate Rheumatologist Burnout," published in The Rheumatologist. Marston also serves as the chair of the ACR Committee on Rheumatology Training and Workforce Issues.

In the News: Timothy Holahan, DO, and Sarah Howd, MD, from Geriatrics & Aging, are featured experts in the article "Assisted Living vs. Home Care: What's the Difference?" published in US News & World Report.

Join Us for a Very Personal Medicine Grand Rounds May 9

For the May 9 department of Medicine Grand Rounds, Rob Horowitz, MD, chief of the URMC Palliative Care Division, will talk about Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED). Horowitz will explore this little known and often misunderstood end-of-life topic from dual perspectives: as a physician who is an expert in VSED's clinical, legal, and ethical dimensions, and as a son who supported his mother's decision to die intentionally by VSED in response to her progressing dementia. "Mom had long described dementia as her 'worst nightmare'," said Horowitz. "VSED was her way to avoid the untenable future that loomed ever closer as her cognition declined. My hope is that by sharing our confrontation with VSED's real-life intricacies, I will humanize Mom, myself, and the VSED process." Because of its highly personal content, including video and photos, this Grand Rounds will be presented in-person only.

This Grand Rounds will be presented in-person only.
Tuesday, May 9, 12 – 1 pm, Class of '62 Auditorium